Miniaturized electrothermal flow induced infusion pump

ABSTRACT

A micropump that pumps liquid using electrothermally-induced flow is described, along with a corresponding self-regulating pump and infusion pump. The micropump has applications in microfluidic systems such as biochips. The self-regulating infusion pump is useful for the administration of large and small volumes of liquids such as drugs to patients and can be designed for a wide range of flow rates by combining multiple micropumps in one infusion pump system.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

The U.S. Government may have certain rights in this invention pursuantto SBIR Contract Number: W81XWH06C0067 awarded by the United States Army

INCORPORATED-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention is a self-regulated Electrothermal Flow (ETF) micropumpfor infusion of fluids into the body of a patient. The self-regulatedETF micropump can also be used other application requiring miniaturized,self-regulating pumps. The micropump monitors flow rates usingLaser-Induced Fluorescence Photobleaching Anemometry (LIFPA), impedanceanemometry, or other flow measuring device. Data from fluid monitoringis transferred to a control system that controls the flow rate generatedby the pump. The operation of the micropump can be set to maintain aconstant flow rate or to deliver a pre-programmed flow rate pattern, forexample.

2. Description of Related Art

Infusion pumps have a wide range of applications such as the controlleddelivery of antibiotics, antiviral agents, anesthesia, chemotherapy,total parenteral nutrition (TPN), and patient-controlled analgesia.Control of infusion rates is particularly important for delivering smallvolumes of high concentration drugs and high flow rate infusions oflarge volumes.

Miniaturized, self-regulated flow pumps for drug infusion allow, forexample, the controlled delivery of concentrated drug over extendedperiods to ambulatory patients (low flow rate) and the controlledinfusion of high volumes of fluids (high flow rate).

Miniaturized electrokinetic pumps to move fluids through microfluidicdevices are known and employ a variety of elecrtokinetic phenomenaincluding electroosmotic flow, and electrohydrodynamic flow.

The use of time varying waveform ETF, such as traveling-wave ETF inapplications such as micropumps is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,189,578,which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. Unlike otherelectrokinetic phenomena, the ETF generated by the present inventionprovides mean pumping velocities that increase with the 4th power of theapplied voltage. This enables ETF pumps to generate higher flow ratesand hence, head pressures than existing electrokinetic pumps. Atheoretical description of ETF is described in Ivan R et al. (2004) J.Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 37:2323-2330, which is incorporated by reference inits entirety.

In addition to providing high flow rates and/or head pressures throughthe use of ETF, the present invention provides for a self-regulatingmicropump that monitors the pump's flow rate. This is accomplished bycoupling a flow rate monitor or sensor with a pump power supplycontroller. The self-regulated micropump and controller may be locatedoutside or inside the body of a patient. The flow rate produced by thepump is measured using, for example, Laser-Induced FluorescencePhotobleaching Anemometry (LIFPA) or Flow Induced DifferentialElectrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (FI-DEIS).

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention involves drug infusion apparatus and methodscomprising an ETF micropump, an anemometer, and a micropump controllerin communication with both the micropump and anemometer. Self-regulationof flow rates is exemplified using LIFPA and FI-DEIS for flow ratesensing. The applications of the present invention include drug deliveryby infusion and auto-controlled pumping in microfluidic systems andbiochips.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B show a top view (FIG. 1A) and side view (FIG. 1B) of anETF micropump with opposed, aligned sets of parallel electrodes.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show top and side views of an ETF micropump withopposed, staggered sets of parallel electrodes.

FIG. 3 shows a portion of a manufactures ETF micropump.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show the locations of fabrication components from thetop and side.

FIG. 5 shows a relationship between flow rate and pressure head for anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 shows a relationship between flow velocity and AC frequency foran embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the relationship between flow rate and appliedvoltage for an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 compares the theoretical maximum flow rates and head pressuresfor two embodiments of the invention having opposed, eclipsedelectrodes.

FIG. 9 compares the theoretical maximum flow rates and head pressuresfor two embodiments of the invention having opposed, staggeredelectrodes.

FIG. 10 shows the measured relationship between fluorescent intensityand flow rate for an exemplary LIFPA sensor.

FIG. 11 shows the measured relationship between impedance and flow ratefor an exemplary impedance flow sensor.

FIG. 12 illustrates design for a miniaturized, self-regulating infusionpump.

FIG. 13 A-C shows the arrangement of electrothermal micropumps inparallel, in series, and in a combination of in series and in parallel.

FIG. 14 depicts a miniaturized, self-regulating infusion pump locatedoutside the body of a patient.

FIG. 15 depicts a miniaturized, self-regulating infusion pump locatedinside the body of a patient.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention is a method for automaticallycontrolling the flow of an ETF pump using an inline flow sensor andpower supply controller. In another aspect, the invention is anapparatus for delivering drugs by infusion comprising a self-regulatedEFT flow pump. In yet another aspect, the invention is a method fordelivering drugs by infusion using a self-regulated EFT flow pump.

The ETF micropump minimally comprises a pumping chamber containing afluid to be pumped, an inlet into and an outlet from the pumpingchamber, at least one set of four elongated electrodes arranged inparallel in one wall of the pumping chamber in contact with the fluid,and a power supply electrically coupled to each of the electrodes insuch a way as to produce a traveling wave ETF (tw-ETF) of fluid withinthe volume of the pumping chamber in a direction perpendicular to theelongated electrodes. The pumping chamber may have multiple sets of 3or, preferably, 4 or more parallel electrodes located in one or opposingwalls of the chamber. These electrodes are activated in a phase-shiftedmanner to produce ETF of the fluid to be pumped with a phase shift of2π/n for n electrodes per set.

The efficiency increases with the number of phase-shifted electrodes ina set. There is practical limit to the number of phase-shiftedelectrodes in a set, however, because the number of electrical leadsrequired is equal to the number of electrodes in a set. Phase-shiftedelectrode sets may optimally be located on opposing walls directlyacross from one another (eclipsed), or offset in the direction normal tothe electrodes by an offset distance (staggered). Additionally,electrodes within a set may be located on opposing walls in a staggeredconfiguration. Each of the preceding configurations is described in moredetail in the examples. The numbers and locations of electrodes in aset, sets of electrodes, inlets and outlets, and channel dimensions arevariable and may be changed to suit particular applications needs.

The flow channel is optimally made of a material that is electricallyinsulating such as glass, silicon, PDMS, or other plastic. Electrodesare optimally made of gold or other electrically conducting materialthat does not react chemically with the fluid being pumped.

Computational simulations validated using experimental results conductedby the inventors indicate that the head pressure generated by the ETFpump increases linearly with the length of the pumping chamber and thatreducing the gap between electrodes and increasing the number ofelectrodes improves the performance of the pump. Further improvements inflow rate can be achieved by stacking pumping chambers within a singlemicropump.

Guidance for Micropump Design:

Optimal performance can be achieved by a simulation-based designapproach based on the following description. When an electric current ispassed through a conducting fluid, it induces Joule heating and createsa temperature gradient. The electrical properties such as permittivityand conductivity vary with temperature and thereby with the spatiallocation. Under the action of externally imposed electric field, thisnon-uniformity in the dielectric property of the liquid inducesdielectric forces leading to bulk fluid flow known as electrothermalinduced flow. The flow rate and the associated maximum pressure headdepend on electrode dimension, form, electrode distance andconfiguration, channel dimensions, applied voltages, fluid propertiesand phase shifts in the electric field.

The steady state free charge density is described by

$\begin{matrix}{{\rho_{e} = {\frac{1}{\tau}{D \cdot {\nabla\tau}}}},{\tau = \frac{\sigma}{ɛ}}} & (1)\end{matrix}$where D is the electric displacement, σ and ∈ are conductivity anddielectric constant. The intrinsic electric relaxation time τ representsthe time needed by a free charge to relax from the fluid to its externalboundary and thus determines different responses to AC electric signal.The electrostatic force applied to dielectric material is given by

$\begin{matrix}{\overset{->}{f} = {{\rho_{q}\overset{->}{E}} - {\frac{1}{2}E^{2}{\nabla ɛ}} + {\frac{1}{2}{\nabla\lbrack {{\rho_{m}( \frac{\partial ɛ}{\partial\rho_{m}} )}_{T}E^{2}} \rbrack}}}} & (2)\end{matrix}$

Here ρ_(m) is the fluid density and {right arrow over (E)} is electricfield. For most experimental conditions of practical interest in whichharmonically oscillating AC field is applied to produce non-uniformelectric field, the averaged force density is approximately given by

$\begin{matrix}{{\langle \overset{->}{f} \rangle = {{\frac{1}{2}{{Re}\lbrack {\frac{{\sigma ɛ}( {\alpha - \beta} )}{\sigma + {{\mathbb{i}}\;{\omega ɛ}}}( {{\nabla T} \cdot {\overset{->}{E}}_{0}} )\overset{->}{E_{0}^{*}}} \rbrack}} - {\frac{1}{2}{ɛ\alpha}{{\overset{->}{E}}_{0}}^{2}{\nabla T}}}}{where}} & (3) \\{{\alpha = {\frac{1}{ɛ}\frac{\partial ɛ}{\partial T}}},{\beta = {\frac{1}{\sigma}\frac{\partial\sigma}{\partial T}}}} & (4)\end{matrix}$ω is the angular frequency of the AC signal, i=√{square root over (−1)},and T is the temperature. The superscript star represents for complexconjugate. Joule heating due to electric current is the primary heatresource and is related to the current byj=σE²  (5)

When this intrinsic time scale is comparable to period of AC signal, theforce density exhibits traveling wave features that respond to phaseshift in the applied field. At small amplitudes, the flow and thermalfields can be linearized and the scaling analysis indicates that thevelocity and temperature vary as V⁴ and V², respectively, where V isexternally applied voltage. Detailed scaling analysis of linearizedgoverning equations indicate that the average velocity induced can beexpressed as:

$\begin{matrix}{U_{0} \propto \frac{\sigma\; V^{4}}{\mu\; k\; L_{0}}} & (6)\end{matrix}$

The scaling of flow rate is σV⁴L₀/(μk). In general, the flow rateincreases with increasing applied potential, increasing solutionconductivity, and/or increasing channel size.

Example 1 ETF Micropump with Opposed, Aligned Sets of Electrodes

A first exemplary embodiment of an ETF micropump having opposed sets ofparallel electrodes on the top and bottom surfaces of a flow chamber isshown in FIGS. 1A and B. The figure shows a flow chamber 1, two inlets2, one outlet 3, electrodes 4, and electrical leads 5, four each for theelectrodes in the top wall 1 a and bottom wall 1 b. Four electricalleads (e.g., electrical leads 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, and 5 d are shown as topelectrical leads 5, where the bottom electrical leads 5 are not shownbecause they are eclipsed by the top electrical leads 5) are requiredfor each of the top and bottom channels so that properly time delayedelectric waveform fields can be applied. The figure illustrates only 52total electrodes to clearly show the principle of the design. The actualdesign comprises 216 electrodes. An AC signal is applied to theelectrode array with the phase shifted by π/2 between adjacent pairs.The markings on electrodes 4 in FIG. 1 indicate the pattern of phaseshifting. The flow chamber is 10 mm wide, 20 mm long, and 170 μm deepand the electrodes are 50 μm wide, 1 cm long, and are spaced 10 μmapart. The shading indicates which electrodes are coupled to the sameleads. The electrodes in the bottom surface of the flow chamber areeclipsed by the electrodes in the top surface in the top view. Theelectrical leads are not shown in the side view and are insulated fromone another. This prototype produces a theoretical flow rate of 1.8mL/min and a head pressure of 1.4 mmHg. As shown, there is a firstelectrode set 4 a of three sequentially arranged parallel elongateelectrodes in the top wall 1 a, and a second electrode set 4 b of threesequentially arranged parallel elongate electrodes in the bottom wall 1b.

Example 2 tw-ETF Micropump with Sets of Opposed, Staggered Electrodes

FIGS. 2A and B illustrates one example of an ETF micropump with opposedelectrodes that are staggered, rather than aligned. The top and bottomelectrodes are staggered by one electrode width to induce unidirectionalETF. In this embodiment, there are only two leads 5 each to the top andbottom of the pump because the repeating set of 4 electrodes is splitbetween opposing sides. This configuration is less efficient than thatshown in FIG. 1 but reduces the total number of leads required, makingthis embodiment easier to manufacture. The pumping chamber 1 is 10 mmwide, 15 mm long, and 100 μm deep and the electrodes 4 are 50 μm wide,10 mm long, and are spaced 50 μm apart. The electrodes of the bottomsurface are shown in FIG. 2A as dashed lines to show their positionsrelative to the electrodes in the top surface. The figure illustratesonly 32 total electrodes to clearly explain the design. The actualdesign and fabricated micropump comprise 128 electrodes.

Example 3 Manufactured ETF Micropump

A portion of a ETF micropump manufactured according to the design inExample 2 and having transparent top and bottom walls is shown in FIG.3. The pump was made using plastic-lamination technology comprising apolyester terphthalate (PET) sheet coated with gold. The integrateddigital electrodes (IDEs) were obtained by laser etching of gold or ITOPET. The PET was glued to an acrylic sheet substrate. The pump wasconstructed by gluing different layers with pressure sensitive adhesives(PSA), which was also used to form the flow channel. Top and side viewsof illustrating the relative locations of fabrication components areshown in FIGS. 4A and B. The micropump chip fabricated based on thedesign shown in FIG. 2, is 76 mm long, 45 mm wide and 3.8 mm high. Theflow channel 1 is 40 mm long, 10 mm wide and 0.1 mm high. The length offlow channel covered with IDEs is 34.5 mm. The distance between theneighbor electrodes 4 on the bottom and top surfaces is 50 μm. Allelectrodes 4 have a width of 50 μm. Top and bottom electrodes arestaggered by an electrode width. This micropump chip was used to measureflow rates by visually tracking particle movement in the pumpingchamber.

Example 4 ETF Micropump Operation

The flow generated by the pump in FIG. 4 was visualized usingfluorescent polystyrene microparticles of 1 μm in diameter. A phaseshift of the AC signal to adjacent electrodes of 90° was used, with afrequency of 20 Vp-p and 500 kHz. The characteristic of the pump thatshows the relationship between flow rate and pressure head is shown inFIG. 5. According to published theories of ETF, the relationship betweenhead pressure and flow rate in linearly inverse. Experimental data fromone prototype ETF pump unexpectedly shows that the relationship is morecomplex, affecting the optimal operating parameters for the pump. Thismicropump was used to pump a wide variety of aqueous buffer solutions,ethyl alcohol, and aqueous-alcohol solutions. The maximum flow velocityfor a fluid increases with conductivity. Consequently, for liquidshaving low conductivities, the addition to the liquid of a buffer orother substance to increase conductivity increases pumping efficiencysignificantly.

Experimental data showing the relationship between flow velocity and ACfrequency for an aqueous inositol solution in the micropump shown inFIG. 4 are shown in FIG. 6. The frequency corresponding to maximum flowvelocity is about 500 kHz. Additional experiments indicate that thecritical frequency corresponding to the maximum flow velocity does notchange with conductivity and basically stays in a frequency band ofroughly 0.5-2 MHz for conductivities in the range of 1-1000 μS/cm.

The magnitude of the electric field is controlled by the applied ACvoltage. Theoretically, ETF velocity increases with the fourth power involtage, as opposed to second power variation in electroosmotic flow.Experimental data demonstrating ETF in a fabricated micropump of thepresent invention is shown in FIG. 7. The flow rate can be dramaticallyincreased by relatively mild increases in the voltage, providing theability to achieve higher flow rates than electroosmotic flow drivenmicropumps. This is important because excessive increases in voltage cancause excessive heating that can inactivate drugs for infusion orgenerate bubbles in microfluidic systems.

Example 5 Additional Designs Having Eclipsed, Opposing Electrodes

The effects of changing the width of electrodes on flow rate and headpressure of an eclipsed electrode design are shown in FIGS. 8A and B.Both micropump designs have one inlet and one outlet, both 1 mm indiameter; 216 electrodes spaced 10 μm apart; and pumping chambers thatare 2 cm long and 1 cm wide. The pumping chamber in FIG. 8A is 50 μmdeep and the electrodes and the electrodes are 10 μm wide. The pumpingchamber in FIG. 8B is 50 μm deep and the electrodes are 50 μm wide.Simulations of both designs were performed using CFD-ACE+® (ESI Group)and the maximum flow rates were calculated to be 0.758 mL/min for thefirst design and 1.8 mL/min for the second. Maximum head pressures werecalculated to be 18.5 mmHg and 1.4 mmHg, respectively.

Example 6 Effects of Electrode Gap Distance on Staggered Designs

The effects of changing the width of gaps between electrodes on flowrate and head pressure of a staggered electrode design are shown FIGS.9A and B. Both micropump designs have one inlet and one outlet, both 1mm in diameter; 216 electrodes that are 50 μm wide; and pumping chambersthat are 4 cm long, 1 cm wide, and 100 μm deep. The gap betweenelectrodes in FIG. 9A is 50 μm wide and the electrodes in FIG. 9B 70 μmwide. Simulations of both designs were performed as in the previousexample and the maximum flow rates were calculated to be 0.065 mL/minfor the first design and 0.078 mL/min for the second. Maximum headpressures were calculated to be 0.32 mmHg and 0.383 mmHg, respectively.

Example 7 LIFPA Flow Sensor

FIG. 10 shows the measured relationship between fluorescent intensityand flow rate for an exemplary LIFPA sensor. The flow rate was measuredin the range of 1-6000 μL/min. The LIFPA sensor has linear response atflow rates of 1-100 mL/hr, demonstrating that the technique is sensitiveenough to be used as part of a flow control system.

Example 8 Impedance Flow Sensor

An impedance based flow sensor applies an alternating electric field toa target solution flowing through a microchannel, and changes in theimpedance of the solution are measured and correlated with the flowrate. In its simplest form this methodology requires two electrodes atthe bottom wall of a channel, applying an AC electric field, andmonitoring impedance.

Flow rate dependent impedance in a microfluidic channel was measuredusing a simple impedance flow sensor and the results are shown in FIG.11. The sensor shows a detectable impedance response for flow rates aslow as 5 mL/hr and a linear response over flow rates of 10-60 mL/hr.

An ETF pump, sensor, and controller may be combined, for example, asshown in FIG. 12 to produce a miniaturized infusion pump. The infusionpump comprises a pump 10, flow sensor 11, and controller 12. Pump 10comprises a stack 13 of ETF micropumps 14. Flow sensor 11, a LIFPA inthis case, comprises a laser 15, lens 16, optical filter 17, and photodiode 18. Controller 12 comprises a fluid reservoir (e.g. drugreservoir) 19, a microprocessor 20 that receives flow rate informationand controls electrode activation, and a power supply 21.

Pump 10 is connected to a conduit 22 that delivers fluid from the pumpto a conduit outlet 23 that is located at a delivery target site in apatient (FIG. 14). The conduit may be placed within a patient (FIG. 15),for example, for subcutaneous, intradermal, intravenous, intramuscular,intrathecal, intracranial, intraperitoneal, or intraocular fluiddelivery. The micropumps may be arranged in series and/or parallel toproduce the desired maximum flow rate and head pressure (FIG. 13).Combining 100 micropumps shown in FIG. 8B in parallel, for example wouldproduce a flow rate of 180 mL/min. Combining the same micropumps inseries would produce a head pressure of 140 mmHg. An infusion pump havedesired maximum flow rate and pressure head specifications can be madeby adjusting the numbers of micropumps connected in series with thoseconnected in parallel.

The sensor may be any sensor capable of measuring the rate of fluid flowfrom the pump to the patient and is preferably a LIFPA or impedanceanemometer. The fluid reservoir may contain a drug in fluid form such asan aqueous solution containing an active ingredient or saline solution.The reservoir may comprise compartments containing different drugsand/or different concentrations of a drug for programmed release into apatient. The microprocessor may use flow rate information from the slowsensor to maintain minimum and/or maximum flow rates, providepreprogrammed flow rates, preprogrammed delivery of different drugs ordrug combinations from a multi-drug reservoir, and/or provide anemergency cut off in response to abnormal or undesired flow rates.

The patient may be human or other mammal. The term “patients” may alsoinclude pets, livestock, and other animals as well as reptiles,amphibians, insects, and plants.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed, it is not intended that such references be construed aslimitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electrothermal flow (ETF) pumping device thatpumps liquid with electrothermally-induced flow, comprising: a pumpingchamber having an internal volume with an elongated length along alongitudinal axis defined by a top wall, a bottom wall opposite of thetop wall with the internal volume therebetween; a fluid inletfluidically coupled with and located at a first end of the pumpingchamber; a fluid outlet fluidically coupled with and located at a secondend of the pumping chamber, wherein the second end is opposite of thefirst end with respect to the longitudinal axis; one or more firstelectrode sets of three sequentially arranged parallel elongateelectrodes extending laterally across the top wall of the chamber, eachfirst electrode set having a first elongate electrode with a first phasecloser to the first end of the chamber and with a third elongateelectrode with a third phase closer to the second end of the chamberwith a second elongate electrode with a second phase between the firstelongate electrode and third elongate electrode, each of the threesequentially arranged parallel elongate electrodes having a differentphase and being arranged in a sequence with a phase shift of 2π/3 fromthe first elongate electrode to the second elongate electrode and to thethird elongate electrode, one or more second electrode sets of threesequentially arranged parallel elongate electrodes extending laterallyacross the bottom wall of the chamber, each second electrode set havinga first elongate electrode with the first phase closer to the first endof the chamber and with a third elongate electrode with the third phasecloser to the second end of the chamber with a second elongate electrodewith the second phase between the first elongate electrode and thirdelongate electrode, the first elongate electrode of the one or morefirst electrode sets being directly across from the first elongateelectrode of the one or more second electrode sets so as to be laterallyaligned and laterally parallel, the second elongate electrode of the oneor more first electrode sets being directly across from the secondelongate electrode of the one or more second electrode sets so as to belaterally aligned and laterally parallel, the third elongate electrodeof the one or more first electrode sets being directly across from thethird elongate electrode of the one or more second electrode sets so asto be laterally aligned and laterally parallel, a first top electricallead electrically coupled with the first elongate electrodes of the oneor more first electrode sets, a second top electrical lead electricallycoupled with the second elongate electrodes of the one or more firstelectrode sets, a third top electrical lead electrically coupled withthe third elongate electrodes of the one or more first electrode sets, afirst bottom electrical lead electrically coupled with the firstelongate electrodes of the one or more second electrode sets, a secondbottom electrical lead electrically coupled with the second elongateelectrodes of the one or more second electrode sets, a third bottomelectrical lead electrically coupled with the third elongate electrodesof the one or more second electrode sets, at least one power supplyelectrically coupled with the first top electrical lead, second topelectrical lead, third top electrical lead, first bottom electricallead, second bottom electrical lead, and third bottom electrical lead soas to provide the phase shift of 2π/3 from the first elongate electrodesto the second elongate electrodes and to the third elongate electrodesto pump liquid with the electrothermally-induced flow.
 2. Aself-regulating electrothermal flow (ETF) drug infusion pumping system,the system comprising: a plurality of the ETF pumping devices of claim1; a fluid reservoir fluidically coupled to each of the fluid inlets ofthe ETF pumping devices; a fluid conduit having a conduit inletfluidically coupled to each of the fluid outlets of the ETF pumpingdevices and an opposite conduit outlet; a flow rate sensor fluidicallycoupled to the conduit outlet; and a controller having a microprocessoroperably coupled to the flow sensor and the power supply, themicroprocessor configured to control flow rate of fluid through thefluid conduit.
 3. The self-regulating ETF drug infusion pumping systemof claim 2, comprising: the fluid reservoir having one or more drugcompartments; the conduit outlet is configured for a placement locationfor subcutaneous, intradermal, intravenous, intramuscular, intrathecal,intracranial, intraperitoneal, or intraocular drug delivery.
 4. Theself-regulating ETF drug infusion pumping system of claim 3, wherein theflow rate sensor is configured as a laser-induced fluorescencephotobleaching anemometer or a flow induced differential electrochemicalimpedance spectrometer.
 5. The self-regulating ETF drug infusion pumpingsystem of claim 2, wherein the pumping chamber includes an electricallyinsulating material.
 6. The self-regulating ETF drug infusion pumpingsystem of claim 5, wherein the electrically insulating material isselected from the group consisting of glass, silicon, or plastic.
 7. Theself-regulating ETF drug infusion pumping system of claim 2, wherein theETF pumping devices are arranged in series.
 8. The self-regulating ETFdrug infusion pumping system of claim 2, wherein the ETF pumping devicesare arranged in parallel.
 9. The self-regulating ETF drug infusionpumping system of claim 2, wherein at least one pumping chamber has oneor more of the following dimensions: a width of 10 mm; a length of 20mm; or a depth of 50 um to 170 um; wherein the first, second and thirdelectrodes of the one or more first electrode sets and second electrodesets have one or more of the following dimensions: a width of 10 um to50 um; a length of 10 mm; or a spacing apart from each other of 10 um;or wherein the ETF pump has a flow rate of 0.758 mL/min to about 1.8mL/min and a head pressure of 1.4 mmHg to 18.5 mmHg.
 10. Theself-regulating ETF drug infusion pumping system of claim 2, wherein atleast one pumping chamber has the one or more of the followingdimensions: a width of 10 mm; a length of 15 mm to 4 cm; or a depth of100 um; wherein the first, second and third electrodes of the one ormore first electrode sets and second electrode sets have one or more ofthe following dimensions: a width of 50 um; a length of 10 mm; or alongitudinal spacing apart from each other of 50 um to 70 um; or whereinthe ETF pump has a flow rate of 0.065 mL/min to about 0.078 mL/min and ahead pressure of 0.32 mmHg to 0.383 mmHg.
 11. The self-regulating ETFdrug infusion pumping system of claim 2, wherein at least one pumpingchamber has one or more of the following dimensions: a width of 10 mm; alength of 20 mm; or a depth of 170 um; wherein the first, second andthird electrodes of the one or more first electrode sets and secondelectrode sets have one or more of the following dimensions: a width of50 um; a length of 10 mm; or a spacing apart from each other of 10 um.12. The self-regulating ETF drug infusion pumping system of claim 2,comprising a fluid in the pumping chamber and the first, second andthird electrodes of the one or more first electrode sets and secondelectrode sets being in contact with the fluid, wherein the electrodesinclude an electrically conducting material that does not reactchemically with the fluid.
 13. The ETF pumping device of claim 1,comprising a fluid in the pumping chamber and the first, second andthird electrodes of the one or more first electrode sets and secondelectrode sets being in contact with the fluid.
 14. The ETF pumpingdevice of claim 13, wherein the electrodes include an electricallyconducting material that does not react chemically with the fluid. 15.The ETF pumping device of claim 1, wherein the pumping chamber includesan electrically insulating material.
 16. The ETF pumping device of claim15, wherein the electrically insulating material is selected from thegroup consisting of glass, silicon, or plastic.
 17. The ETF pumpingdevice of claim 1, wherein the pumping chamber has one or more of thefollowing dimensions: a width of 10 mm; a length of 20 mm; or a depth of50 um to 170 um; wherein the first, second and third electrodes of theone or more first electrode sets and second electrode sets have one ormore of the following dimensions: a width of 10 um to 50 um; a length of10 mm; or a spacing apart from each other of 10 um; or wherein the ETFpump has a flow rate of 0.758 mL/min to about 1.8 mL/min and a headpressure of 1.4 mmHg to 18.5 mmHg.
 18. The ETF pumping device of claim1, wherein the pumping chamber has the one or more of the followingdimensions: a width of 10 mm; a length of 15 mm to 4 cm; or a depth of100 um; wherein the first, second and third electrodes of the one ormore first electrode sets and second electrode sets have one or more ofthe following dimensions: a width of 50 um; a length of 10 mm; or alongitudinal spacing apart from each other of 50 um to 70 um; or whereinthe ETF pump has a flow rate of 0.065 mL/min to about 0.078 mL/min and ahead pressure of 0.32 mmHg to 0.383 mmHg.
 19. The ETF pumping device ofclaim 1, wherein the pumping chamber has one or more of the followingdimensions: a width of 10 mm; a length of 20 mm; or a depth of 170 um;wherein the first, second and third electrodes of the one or more firstelectrode sets and second electrode sets have one or more of thefollowing dimensions: a width of 50 um; a length of 10 mm; or a spacingapart from each other of 10 um.
 20. The ETF pumping device of claim 1,comprising two fluid inlets coupled with and located at the first end ofthe pumping chamber.